The Kremlin has rejected Kyiv’s proposal for a full, unconditional 60-day ceasefire to hold a presidential election, saying it would offer only one day.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov argued on Monday that Kyiv could use the ceasefire to “gather its strength” and “continue the war,” questioning Kyiv’s motive.
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“They really don’t want to hold elections in Kyiv. That’s completely obvious,” Peskov claimed, as reported by Russian state media RIA Novosti.
“And they don’t need a 60-day ceasefire for the elections, but to gather their strength, heal their wounds, and continue the war,” he added.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s 60-day proposal came on Sunday after US President Donald Trump called for his removal, a demand the Kremlin echoed on Monday.
Peskov then said Russian leader Vladimir Putin is ready to offer Kyiv a one-day ceasefire to hold elections, according to independent Russian outlet Astra.
“President [Putin] has already spoken about this, but in this case, I can say with full responsibility on his behalf that if they really do want to hold elections in Kyiv, the president of the Russian Federation, the supreme commander-in-chief, will be prepared to order no strikes on Ukraine on election day,” he added.
“Specifically, on election day.”
Calls for wartime elections in Ukraine have surfaced occasionally since Trump’s re-election in 2025, as the US leader engaged in diplomatic spats intermittently with the Ukrainian leader.
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In February 2025, Trump called Zelensky a “dictator” days before the infamous White House clash on Feb. 28. While the comments have resurfaced occasionally, including in December 2025, when Washington presented its 28-point peace plan reportedly penned by the Kremlin, Trump-Zelensky ties had ostensibly improved before the latest clash.\
Ukraine’s former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, after his summer ouster, also made similar calls that failed to gain traction.
But despite the calls, locals have cast doubt on the viability of hosting elections during wartime, as ongoing hostilities – including recent intensified attacks on Ukrainian cities – produce risks for locals, while representation remains an issue, with most military personnel and displaced refugees likely unable to vote and participate in the election.
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